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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · patient · row · bank · suit · ruler · degree · kick

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. degree — from a university
  10. row — a line
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — an amount
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. row — to paddle
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. suit — to fit
  23. kick — in football
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com